1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to improvements in a system to connect and multiplex sensor signals. More particularly, it is an exemplary embodiment of the invention that uses split core inductive sensors that connect to multiplexable sensor boards to monitor and communicate power loads without requiring the power loads to be de-activated for installation or maintenance of the sensors.
2. Description of Related Art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98:
Electrical distribution panels (e.g. circuit breaker panels) have limited space to install voltage and current sensors necessary for branch circuit monitoring. Running individual wires from each breaker to a central location is complicated and space constrained. Also changing the sensors with different configurations of the breakers is even more complicated. A number of patents and or publications have been made to address these issues. Exemplary examples of patents and or publication that try to address this/these problem(s) are identified and discussed below.
U.S Pat. No. 7,215,109 issued on May 8, 2007 to and U.S. Pat. No. 7,309,979 that issued on Dec. 18, 2007, both to Richard A. Angerame et al., disclose monitoring power at a residence or power consumption point and provide a utility report. While these patents disclose a monitoring and reporting they require that the power is disconnected to tap into the power line and the monitoring devices can't be multiplexed together to provide for a greater number of reading sensors at a specific location.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,374 issued on Mar. 26, 1996 to Roger S. Cota discloses current sensors from multiple simultaneous sources. While these sensors monitor the current being consumed by each motor the sensors do not monitor voltage and therefore the power consumption can't be determined. The sensors provide a signal to a single control panel with a fixed number of inputs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,327 issued on Dec. 27, 1988 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,855,671 issued on Aug. 8, 1989, both to Rossevelt A. Fernandes both disclose an electrical parameter power line monitoring apparatus. The apparatus provides a split core monitor. The monitor is placed around each conductor to monitor the power running through the conductor. While these patents cover monitoring the power through a conductor the signals are not multiplexed and are not expandable.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,330,516 issued on Dec. 11, 2001 to John B. Kammeter discloses a branch circuit monitor. The branch circuit monitor includes a plurality of non-contact current sensors arranges to sense current on each of the plurality of branch circuits. While this patent discloses branch circuit monitoring the signals are not multiplexed and are not expandable to monitor additional circuits.
What is needed is a system to connect and multiplex sensor signals. The system should also be adapted to three phase monitoring and ground fault measurement and monitoring which is not conveniently provided by existing hard wired systems. The system should be adaptable to different types of sensors which existing solutions do not. This disclosure provides the solution that is not being provided by other available or disclosed devices.